It even attracted the attention of Governor Rick Snyder, who now appears ready to put state lawmakers in the hot seat in an election year.

The Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act bans several forms of discrimination, but not all.

Now, a call for change is uniting the voices of business and political leaders from across the state of Michigan.

“Certainly, we’ve all seen the cultural change, not just in Michigan, but around the country as to how these sorts of issues are viewed,” said Brad Williams, VP of government relations with the Detroit Regional Chamber.

The Michigan Legislature passed Elliot-Larsen in 1976.

Among other things , it bans discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion and sex. But not sexual orientation or gender identity.

“For us, this is about competitiveness,” Williams said. “We wanna make sure the most talented workers feel comfortable in Michigan – that this is a place where they wanna locate.”

That’s why the Detroit Regional Chamber of commerce and Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce joined the president of AT&T Michigan to call on lawmakers to consider the issue.

“I’d appreciate them taking up the issue and reviewing it, and considering it, and i don’t believe in discrimination,” Snyder said.